Arendelle Down
by DeluxeGrandeur
Summary: (Present Day AU mixed with old school weaponry) Arendelle is dying. The Rotters (zombies) are taking over the land. Elsa and Anna are fighting to keep each other and everyone else alive. Can they survive this zombie-fest? And when will they finally have a moment alone? -Cursing, Angst, Badassery, Elsanna, Weaponry, and Zombie Gore-
1. The Rotters

"Please….no…please…_ Anna_, it's okay. It's going to be okay. Just keep your eyes open, look at me. It's okay just look at me. I'm here…just… p-please just don't…_ANNAAA_!"

* * *

Standing in the garden was a time of peace. It was a place of solace. Hints of citrus and vanilla filled the air as blooming trees and flowers grew all around. The trees sung with the conversations of birds and the ducks played their very own version of Duck, Duck, Goose. Everything was beautiful and everything was simple. But that was a long time ago.

The garden had withered away. Roots of trees crippled beneath Elsa's boots, crumbling away with the life that once flourished here. The pond that once shimmered with the light of a happy kingdom now only reflected the raging clouds that heaved in the sky above her. Arrendelle was dying. And Elsa felt like she was dying with it.

"Crazy, isn't it?" Anna's lazy footsteps made her boot heels scuff against the stone. Anna leaned against the railing, hair pulled back into a pony tail, jeans filthy, and boots laced tightly. Her shirt was so torn that Elsa didn't think it could even be considered a shirt anymore. And there was still dirt and blood caked on her skin from the last run in with the Rotters. The sudden disruption would have easily launched icicles in any direction that sounded remotely like the Rotters' footsteps. But that familiar goofy sound of Anna's walk kept her sane. She could hear her kick the leaves off of the stairs with a deep exhale.

"Isn't it **all**?" Elsa sighed. Turning around, she remembered a time when Anna didn't look so weighed down by it all. Those beautiful freckles used to dominate that pretty face with quirk and life. But now they've become muted with dirt and grime. "Isn't all of this just insane? I mean, look at us. You barely have a clean pair of clothes without blood stains on them. I've seen our staff decay in front of our eyes and then _eat_ each other! The Kingdom is slipping into complete _shit_ and just…..FUCK, Anna! How do I fix this…?" Anna knew Elsa somehow found a way to blame herself for all of this, making this her burden and hers alone. But nobody really knew how it all happened. It was a burden they all carried.

Tender steps pushed Anna towards Elsa. Slipping her fingers into Elsa's she felt the slight prick of frost nip at her fingertips. The feeling was always strange for Anna. But not uncommon. It was always hard figuring out how Elsa truly felt just by looking at her expressions. She could stand stoic and unrelenting in front of a swarm of Rotters. But her hands were always the easiest notion to her emotions. Beneath the icy facade were gentle hands and a gentle heart that once warmed them. And the slightest bit of frost creeping up those fingertips let Anna know that inside…she was still afraid. Fear was still trying to smother every last bit of Elsa's gentle nature, always being forced down by Elsa's need to stand strong for her Kingdom. Fear was something they all understood. Regardless of ice powers or not, they all felt the same frost building up inside of them, fighting to remember what warmth felt like.

Elsa gave in to Anna's hand, relishing the warmth that always pulsed inside Anna. She was always there to keep her alive. Figuratively and literally. A smile crept up on Anna's dirty face, making dirt somehow _very_ attractive, pulling a longing yet sad smile out of Elsa. It's been so long since she's shared a smile with just the two of them alone. Bringing their hands to her chest, Elsa whispered, "I wouldn't know what I'd become if you weren't here. You save me every day. You are always by my side, and even though it may not seem like it to you…you're protecting me too Anna. I just want you to know how much I-"

"ELSA!"

"ANNA!"

"QUICK!"

Kristoff came skidding to the garden, rifle in hand and ice picks at his belt. "Jesus Fuck! Where've you two been?! Ten of them were spotted near the Butcher Shop." Catching his breath he said, "We need to go. Now! We think someone might be inside."

The interruption was unwarranted. Anna never got to hear words like this from Elsa. But it was going to have to wait for another time. Someone needed their help. The girls hightailed it through the castle, holding their weapons close.

Hidden about Anna's bodice were weapons: throwing knives, daggers, blades, and yet more valuably the King's royal sword. Fastened against her back, Anna sported the most esteemed sword in the entire kingdom. She called it Joan. The hilt was lined with the finest red-brown leather, laced together with green stitching and the Royal Family Crest branded into it. Its length was not long, making every move quick and swift for Anna. It was insanely light, and dangerously sharp. Honestly, she had to replace its scabbard more often than she needed to sharpen the sword. Her exceptional swordsmanship deemed her the Queen's official Knight of Arrendelle. It would have made their father proud.

Elsa on the other hand needn't any weapons to boast. She_ was_ the weapon. To friend or foe she was known as the Queen of Ice. She boasted many titles; Queen of Snow, Frost Queen, Queen of the Frigid, Winter's Ruler and many more... but to her closest friends, she was simply Elsa.

She did carry one weapon though… a tiny red shard from a vase. In fact, it was the very vase that Anna had killed her first Rotter with to protect Elsa. She wore it around her wrist as a bracelet to remind her of how strong her sister was for her, and that she must _always_ be strong to protect her in return.

Leaving the castle always felt bittersweet. It was a place of protection. It was home. But it was in ruins. Sprinting ahead of them, Kristoff whistled over to Sven, and jumped onto his back. Now sporting metal spiked antlers and a specially made saddle for storing weaponry, Sven was a reindeer not to be fucked with.

Approaching the street of the Butcher Shop, the four of them approached a pile of empty crates for cover. Across the street was a familiar mustached face. He knelt behind a broken fruit cart wielding the most gargantuan spiked club. He was the second most valuable asset to the group. His sheer brute strength could rip the head off a Rotter like it was made of paper. Oaken was certainly a force to be reckoned with.

Adjusting his eye-patch, he twiddled his fingers and mouthed a happy "Yoo-Hoo" over to the others.

Anna giggled and "Yoo-Hooed" back. She whispered, "It really blows my mind how he always manages to keep his club so clean. Like seriously, we've seen him smash three Rotters in a row before and the next second…nothing…" with a shrug of her shoulders she added, "So frikkin' clean."

"Alright ladies let's figure out what these Rotters are after." Kristoff shushed. Giving Oaken a nod to stand ready, he picked up a stone and tossed it in Oaken's direction.

The noise got the attention of one Rotter. As the Rotter headed towards the noise, Oaken gripped his club with one hand and steadied himself against the cart with the other. When the Rotter was finally in his reach, Oaken grabbed the Rotter by the throat, lifted it above the ground, and before it could even muster a growl, he gave it a quick toss into the air before he swung his club. And boy…did he _swing._

Across the cobbled road the head of the Rotter rolled and the body lay in a crippling position at Oaken's feet. With thumbs up, he pressed the others to initiate the second attack.

"Show off…" said Elsa. "Come on let's get in there and fuck up some Rotters." With a swift slice of her hand, spears of ice were launched over Kristoff's head and into the face of a Rotter clawing at a window. The attention instantly piqued the interest of the remaining Rotters, all turning around to avenge their fallen sister. The Rotter group started sprinting towards their direction.

Oaken quickly seized the opportunity to attack from behind, smashing his club into the backs of the unaware Rotters. Anna, unsheathing Joan, let out a fierce roar as she swiftly sliced the arms, legs, and heads off of her enemies, all the while Kristoff commented, " Do you have to chop them up before killing them?" as he smashed the butt of his rifle into a rotten face and swung his ice pick through an empty eye socket.

Elsa laughed as she did the same to her Rotter, except she used clean sheets of ice to dismember them. Kristoff simply laughed at the sarcastic demonstration as he held his boot to the face of a fallen Rotter to dislodge his ice pick.

"We all have our own fighting styles Kristoff," said Anna, "Yours is messy, mine is swift, Oaken's is…_hilariously_ awesome... and Elsa's is sexy! Even Sven has one! He likes to get 'straight to the point!'" as Sven approached in a jolly trot with the arm of a Rotter lodged in the spikes of his left antler.

"Did you just make a joke?" Elsa laughed.

"Yes, and I also saw you blush when I called you sexy." She said nonchalantly as she walked towards the Butcher Shop while cleaning and sheathing Joan over her shoulder.

"Ya, I saw this things too Miss Elsa." chimed Oaken as he checked their surroundings. "Your face was very pink."

Elsa gave him a playful nudge as he went to check their surroundings.

"Psst! Anna!"

"Yeah Kristoff?" she said as she jiggled the door handle.

"You were totally right… his club is _already_ clean."

The three of them glanced over at Oaken as he lifted a crate with his club at the ready, glinting in the light of the sunset as he held it above his head.

"See! Sparkling clean." Anna smiled in response.

The two giggled, but Elsa intervened. "Let's keep moving guys, it's almost dark. We need to get to the bottom of this." Elsa squeezed between her sister and Kristoff and touched her hand to the door handle.

Freezing the metal, Elsa clenched her hand and shattered the handle. She looked at Anna, and gave the door a push.

"Let's go."


	2. The Butcher Knife

The air smelled dank. Heavy. A type of air that smelled metallic and intrusive. It coated the lining of your nostrils. But what were they supposed to expect, daisies and petunias? It _was_ the Butcher Shop.

"Elsa, maybe I should go first." said Kristoff as he held her shoulder.

"Are you serious? You know I create ice weapons on command, right?" Sass meter on high, Elsa laughed and poofed flurries on Kristoff's head.

"Let's get this party started then." Anna said, tightening her pony tail.

Elsa took the first step as her hand fiddled with the red shard dangling from her left wrist. Her boots against the floorboards creaked, and the atmosphere was just too still to stomach.

In the background Oaken hollered, "I'll stand guard, ya?"

Elsa nodded.

"Let's keep moving."

The shop was in ruins. It smelled like rotting meat, and the walls felt like they were bending beneath a heavy roof. The building in itself had a hidden story. The walls were giving in to the weight of a burdened rooftop that could only soak in so much pain. Chairs were splintered across the floor. Signs were smeared with the fluids of…_something. _And the glass showcase looked like a Rotter had an All-you-can-Eat smorgasbord with the display meats.

Elsa felt Anna reach up to grab the material of the back of her shirt as the group took it all in. This had been a habit of hers lately. It made her feel safer being able to touch her. It reminded Elsa of the days when they could touch without having to keep their weapons at the ready. When they could touch and it was just the two of them...

The feeling of those hands at the small of her back was a feeling so foreign and far away, it felt like it was breaking her in two… The feel of those tender, freckled, hands tracing her spine…

*_crash_*

Weapons were drawn. Eyes darted towards the counter, frantically scanning its every inch to locate the cause of the noise. Something was back there. Kristoff gripped his rifle, finger dancing on the trigger, and knuckles paling at the force of his grip. Anna's hands were on her blades, and Elsa stood in powerful anticipation.

A moment of silence passed. Anna noticed the frost creeping up Elsa's fingertips.

Elsa slowly lifted her foot to take a step, easing her weight off of the creaky floorboard. Slowly churning her fingers, she formed an ice dagger, eyes fixed on the counter, brows tense and concentrated. She held the hilt, dagger pointing down, ready to plunge, when suddenly… dark brown hair, and then a forehead, and beautiful, scared, green eyes… emerged from behind the counter.

Elsa's dagger melted in her hand. Along with the frost on her fingertips.

Anna quickly hid her knives and tenderly cooed, "Hi there. Hey sweetie, it's okay. Don't be scared. Honestly, you scared _us_ a little. Don't be afraid. We're friendly."

The girl shrank behind the counter, barely showing her eyes.

"We're here to take those scary people away. It's alright." Anna reached her hand out, and sporting a genuine smile she said, "It's safe for you to come out."

Kristoff held his rifle behind his back. "_Holy shit guys_," he whispered through his teeth, "how long has she been here all alone?"

Unable to process Kristoff's comment, Elsa took a breath that she didn't realize she was holding and said, "You are very brave. Very, _very,_ brave."

Eyelashes blinked behind the counter in response.

"But you don't have to be brave anymore." she said, "I'll take care of you. But it's getting dark now and…"

The little girl stepped back slowly. She held her hands near her chest, a gesture far too familiar to Elsa. Suddenly, without breaking eye contact with Elsa, the girl darted into the back of the shop.

"N-…wait!" Elsa cried, running towards the counter, hurdling over it. The two disappeared into the dark.

"Kristoff, meet us around back!" Anna yelled as she followed after Elsa.

Pulling a blade from her thigh holster, Anna heard sounds of rummaging, metal instruments clinking, and Elsa's voice ahead of her…

"Wait! WAIT! Come back!... AGH!"

"ELSA!"

Anna sprinted, hardly able to see in the dark. When she caught up to Elsa and the girl, she found them standing in front of a large, frosty door. The meat cooler. In front of the door the girl stood with a butcher knife in her hands, shaking. Eyes wide, she backed up against the door, as a tear shed down her cheek. She laid the flat side of the blade against her forehead as her eyes clenched her tears away. Broken, and withered, the girl whispered something very familiar to the butcher knife. Elsa and Anna both leaned in closer to with questionable disbelief at the familiar sound, when suddenly her watery eyes shot up at them.

She turned to face the cooler. Her small hand reached to touch the door, fingers spreading against it, and head bowed with heavy tears that fell from her eyes. A small whimper brought her to her knees as the knife clanked against the floor next to her.

And then a thump. And another thump. It was coming from inside the cooler.

"Elsa there's something inside." Anna urged.

The girl sniffled taking the butcher knife, and laid it gently against the door in a curiously sacramental way, as if it were more of a burden to let it go than to hold it in her tiny arms...

*BAM*

*BAM-BAM-BAM*

The door began to shake. Elsa ran to the girl and picked her up. Whatever was in there, it wanted out. And it wanted out **now.** Elsa held the girl close to her and told Anna to start heading towards the front of the shop. When Elsa turned back to freeze the lining of the door she saw them. Two Rotters: one male, the other female. The He-Rotter was missing half of his face from what Elsa saw through the frosty window. The She-Rotter looked nearly beheaded. Both were wearing blood stained aprons.

Stepping outside, Anna called for Kristoff, Kristoff called for Sven, and Elsa called for Oaken.

A gasp and shocked eyes came from Oaken as he tenderly approached the girls.

"Yoo-Hoo, little girl." He said with a bubbly smile. "My name's Oaken. What's yours?" as he awkwardly tried to hide is club behind his back.

The girl clung closer to Elsa, hiding her face behind her dark hair, and clung to the blonde's braid.

Anna came up to Elsa, placing her chin atop her shoulder.

"Please don't be afraid." She said with soft eyes. "We'll take care of you. Promise."

A silence grew between them. A silence that screamed so many questions, like, 'Where did you come from?' 'Why were you alone?' 'What was the knife for?' and most of all, 'What's your name?'

Kristoff coughed, interrupting everyone's mental synopsis of the girl's story, and looked over at the sunset. Everyone understood. It was time to hike back to the castle.

"So, how does hot chocolate sound tonight?!" Elsa suggested so she could break the silence as she squeezed the girl a little tighter.

"HELL YEAH!" Anna screamed intensely with her fists in the air, but then immediately covered her mouth. "Oops…ahem…uhm… 'Scuse ma French," she blushed and pushed her hair behind her ear.

"OOO Chocolate?! Yah!" chimed Oaken.

"Only if Marshmallow doesn't eat MY marshmallows," Kristoff huffed as Sven came up beside him, nodding his big, antlered head.

"Looks like majority rules," Elsa said to the girl.

With a small smile she looked up at Elsa and nodded her approval.

"Good enough for me!" Anna cheered! "Let's blow this meat-popsicle stick!"

Elsa couldn't believe how easy it was for Anna to bring such light and warmth into a situation like this. And to be quite frank, a _**world**_ like this. How did she do it? Where did all of this perk and life come from? Well, it didn't matter. As long as someone had it. There was far too much dark. And Anna was the only one who could balance such a one-sided scale.

The girl fell asleep in Elsa's arms. Luckily she was so light that Elsa didn't even break a sweat on the hike up towards the castle. But she figured Sven would be happy enough to stop ogling at her if she let the girl sleep on his saddle instead.

Once they approached the gates, Marshmallow, the castle's protector came stomping forward, icicles jutting out from his back, and ice fangs maliciously dripping with water. Seeing his mother carrying a child, Marshmallow retracted his spikes and fangs into his snowy body and opened the iron gates.

"Come here Mister." Elsa said as he kneeled down towards her. "Let everyone know we're having hot chocolate tonight. And you're not to steal Kristoff's marshmallows this time. Am I clear?"

He groaned, "Crystal."

"_How_ clear?" she said as she quirked an eyebrow up at him.

"Ice-crystal-clear, Mom." He grumbled and rolled his eyes.

"And where's my hug Mister?!" Elsa pouted.

"And mine too!" Anna piped in.

With big snowy arms he scooped them up, heaving laughter and fluffy snow all over the rest of them. Even Oaken stood with his fists against his hips waiting for his Monster Hug. Kristoff kept his distance and hugged Sven instead.

Kristoff stuck his tongue out at him as the group walked passed. But Kristoff being the last through the castle door, Marshmallow took the opportunity to throw a snowball at his head.

"HEY! You lumping-snow-ball-behemoth, I ought to take a torch to that tiny head of-!"

"Let's go Kristoff!" Anna called. And they all entered the castle.

Once inside, Elsa noticed Anna being curiously quiet as they walked the halls. Anna looked at Elsa with her brows scrunched in thought. "Elsa?"

"Mhm?" Looking over at Anna she could tell something was really on her mind.

"Before…in front of the cooler… Well, maybe it was just adrenaline or something. But…when she was holding that butcher's knife…did she...did she hum that lullaby you used to sing to me when we were little?"

Elsa's face held a deep concentration on the girl sleeping on Sven's back.

"I think so."

"But why? And why to a butcher knife?" Anna said while she eyed one of her knives in her palm.

"Anna. When you were already out of the room I turned back to freeze the door shut…I saw Rotters inside it."

"Wait…WHAT." She said flabbergasted.

"Anna… there was one He and one She-Rotter. His face was literally chewed off. And her head was almost decapitated. Anna, I think…I think that was…"

"… her parents." She finished. "…'_And with all my might, I'll take away your freight'…_"

Anna looked at Elsa. Tears glazed the freckles on her cheek as tremors took over her shoulders.

"Anna…" Elsa said.

Anna bit her lip to keep from drowning the hallway with her tears.

"Anna…I think she was protecting her parents."

* * *

**Hi guys! DG here! Just wanted to say thank you for reading thus far! And if you have any suggestions, corrections, questions, comments, and concerns...please let me know! Leave me some lovin! Rate and review if you'd like :)**

**3 DG**


	3. Shards of Elsa

[flashback]

"Shh! Quiet! They'll hear us!"

"Of course they will! It's 2 in the morning!"

"SHHHH!"

"Where are you taking me Anna?"

Anna stopped to look at Elsa. Her face was a mix of seriousness and adventure.

"When we were little I used to hide here because you wouldn't wake up or let me in your room anymore."

"Oh right, I remember, '_The sky's awake, so I'm awake…' _blah-blah-blah…. Ow!"

"Don't be rude when I'm trying to be sentimental Elsa!"

It was almost safe to say that the blonde was being dragged up the staircase. This place must have been pretty special. Apparently, it was _very_ special. Why else would it take Anna so long to finally show it to Elsa?

Elsa hadn't had much time to get to know the palace anyways. She'd always been cooped up in her room. But now she finally had a chance to adventure within her massive estate. To be completely honest, how did she expect to run a kingdom if she didn't even know all the trap doors and secret bookcases in her own castle?! She was glad it was happening with Anna.

That beautiful red pony-tail bounced in front of her as every step leaped them towards their top-secret destination. And that fragile little hand held on with so much strength and power. Elsa hoped it wasn't just excitement that kept Anna's hand latched to her own. She hoped it was something so much more. She _needed _something so much more…

"Elsa?"

"Wu-yeah?" she bumbled.

"Did you hear me?"

"Oh, are we here?!" she blushed, realizing that they had probably been there the entire time she was staring at Anna's hand.

"Haha, yeah. But be careful, My Queen. I wouldn't want you going cross-eyed trying to count the freckles on my hand."

Elsa stared at her feet, embarrassed. She couldn't seem to figure out why she couldn't breathe right. And to make it worse, Anna took a step closer into Elsa's bubble, holding her hand against Elsa's cheek as she playfully begged her not to send her to the dungeon for the night.

All Elsa noticed was that the air started smelling like Evergreens and forest flowers as Anna got closer to her.

"Uhm, what's behind the door?" Elsa averted. The door was very small, and round. The handle seemed ancient. And the keyhole was very old fashioned as well. But what Elsa noticed the most was the light that shone through it.

What a powerful surge of light she thought.

With a squeeze of Elsa's hand, Anna smiled and said, "Are you ready?"

"Couldn't get any readier than this, knave." Elsa teased.

"Okay so close your eyes, _my liege_."

"What?"

"Shut it lady. Close those optical orbs."

"No way, what if you…_pants _me or something?!" she said as she took a step backwards.

"Slow your roll! At least let me take you out for dinner first!_ Sheesh_…don't think that just because you're the Queen you get everything you want."

But before Elsa could protest, Anna laughed and skipped around her sister. She held her hands up to shield Elsa's eyes from what hid behind the door.

"No peeking" she warned. "I want this to be as special to you as it was for me when I found it."

Anna's breath seeped warmly into Elsa's hair, sending shivers down her spine. And Anna must've noticed, due to the flattering display of goose bumps, and the ginormous gulp Elsa had to force down her throat.

With a smirk, Anna said, "Move it Slow Poke!" And through the door they went.

Between Anna's fingers Elsa tried her best to keep her eyes shut. But curiosity got the best of her. She tried peeking through her sisters fingers, but before she knew it her eyes were bombarded with a magical display of lights! What a spectacular array of colors! At the end of the room a magnificent stained glass door led to a landing that gazed over the kingdom, perfectly framing the land they called home. But it was swirling with colors. The moons rays burst through the door as colors pooled at their feet, seeped into their clothes, and danced in the strands of their hair. All of the moon's glory illuminated every piece of glass, just for this little room on the very top of the castle. This little room for Anna.

"Anna it's beautiful, it-…"

"Reminds me of you" interjected the red head. "I got so frustrated that you wouldn't wake up, so I tried finding other ways to keep me busy." She began to walk towards the door. Steps away, she turned her face to the side and said, "But when I found that light beaming through the key hole, I felt like you were trying to show me something. And when I walked in…I felt like I found you… I found all of your colors, all of your life, and happiness. I saw you in these colors parading on the floor, Elsa. And when I saw that the door opened up to look over the kingdom, I just knew this place was meant for you…"

"…But I got selfish."

"Selfish?" questioned the blonde.

"Yeah… I didn't want you to know about it. I didn't want you to have a piece of…well, yourself… because I felt like if I gave that up to you…" the red head put her finger against a blue shard of glass. Something heavy weighed her heart. She was afraid to admit it.

"Anna..?" Elsa pressed.

"Well, I…I guess I just felt like you'd hide that from me too." She said as her hand fell from the door. The life that was gleaming within Anna somehow slipped away by something gray and harrying. Her brow hardened as her green eyes stared deeper into the triangular blue shard.

A silence passed between them. Anna stood there, not knowing whether to turn around or not. She wasn't sure if she could look Elsa in the eyes.

Elsa's arms swung around Anna's waist clinging to keep her close. Anna jolted at the abrupt contact. Elsa was holding Anna so tight she literally almost hugged herself back. The feeling was so warm. Dreadfully warm. Anna couldn't believe how she'd never noticed how rare it was for Elsa to touch her. Anna's thoughts were interrupted with something cold dripping on her shoulder. Was Elsa crying?

"Elsa? Hey, are you okay?"

A crumbled exhale rolled against Anna's back. She tried to turn around to look her sister in the eye, but her struggle was muffled by Elsa's quivering grip around her waist.

"Anna I'm never going to shut you out like that again. _**Never.**_ I love you too much to hide away and shut you out. I need you. I'm so much stronger when you're with me."

Her grip remained for a few more seconds, but began to loosen. Anna took this moment to slowly turn around in her sisters arms.

Placing her hand beneath her chin, Anna slowly brought Elsa's eyes to her own. That's when she saw the frost that coated Elsa's eyelashes.

It was beautiful. The lights in the room only emphasized the crystalized beauty of the woman before her. Her eyes glistened with green hues that swirled into the blue crystal of her eyes, and the trail of frosty tears became streaked with oranges and reds.

Elsa couldn't help but notice that Anna was staring at her mouth, intensely and somewhat constrained.

"Elsa, I…" green eyes fixed on the colors that painted Elsa's lips, "I just always wanted a piece of you to call my own. And this room…" a heavy swallow fell slowly down her throat, "this room gave it to me. But it was never really _you _that I had_._"

"Anna," Elsa said tenderly. "You **never** lost me. Actually, I will tell you….that I think you _found_ me. You brought me back. That was _you._"

"Elsa this room is the complete embodiment of you. When I came here I felt like I was still playing with you even though you really weren't here at all. I need to show you something."

Stepping away from Elsa, Anna looked down at the floor, as if she'd been hiding something this whole time.

A very small piece of chalk lay near the door, and inches from the floor, scribbles were written on the wall next to it…

'_Howl goes the moon, and howl goes the night._

_A screech and a bump makes your strength feel so slight._

_But never fear, you are strong, you have fight._

_A princess can have valor; be as brave as a knight._

_But for things that still scare you, I will again recite_

_You are always protected._

_And with all my might,_

_I'll take away your fright.'_

Elsa stood in disbelief. Anna discovered a whimsical room that she could have kept all for herself, but instead she branded it with the lullaby that Elsa used to sing to her when she was scared at night.

"It made me feel safer." said the redhead. "I would sing it over and over again while I danced in the colors just so I could pretend it was you singing it to me. And that was enough for me to feel like you were here keeping me safe."

There was an ache in Elsa's heart; a very large ache.

Anna took Elsa's hand and held it to her chest. "I've never felt safer than I do here with you." She whispered as she kissed the knuckles of Elsa's hand.

Soft snow flurries began to fall in the room. They've both never felt safer.

* * *

"Elsa? Elsaaaaa…..?"

"What? Yeah. I mean, absolutely. Yes. Please."

"Marshmallows and whipped cream it is! And I'm assuming chocolate syrup as well?" said a cheery freckled face as she wiped the top of the syrup bottle with her finger. A quick swipe to her mouth and then_…poof!... _the chocolate dribble was sucked off the face of the earth.

"Oh you ass, you're just _trying_ to sweeten me up for the Rotters, aren't you?"

"Yep! But at the rate I'm going, they're probably going to smell me first! But no really, you were in La-La-Land for a pretty good while. What's on your mind, Elsa?"

"It's nothing. Been a long day."

"SUPER-CHOCOLATEY-PINKY-PROMISE ME THEN?!" pouted Anna's little pink lips with a devilishly raised eyebrow.

Elsa raised her eyebrows at the challenging accusation and held her pinky out. As Anna went to link it with hers (covered in chocolate syrup) Elsa pulled back, and with a 'grr' from gritted teeth she exclaimed, "Damn you! I can't!"

"SPILL THE BEAN, QUEEN."

Elsa started to fiddle with her feet. "I was remembering the first time you brought me to your secret room…" Elsa said as she swirled the whipped cream in her mug. She took a sip, and when she looked up she saw an expression she didn't exactly see coming.

Anna looked angry.

"You mean _our_ room? You _do_ remember what happened after the flurries-"

"Anna! Shut it! Not here! Christ… there are little ears around here…" Elsa shifted herself uncomfortably as Anna merely injected fluffy whipped cream into her mouth.

"Don't choke fatso." Elsa teased.

"Oh….you _know_ I don't choke on delectable, fluffy, white stuff." Anna said with a seductive wink.

Elsa's face flamed red. Awkward coughs were exchanged, feet were awkwardly shuffled, and her eyes were averted. Anna somehow seemed to be able to keep her eyes fixated on Elsa.

"Uhm, Anna where is Butch?"

"Who?"

"The little girl. I'm tired of calling her 'Little Girl' so I figured Butch would be a good name since she was found in the Butcher Shop, with a Butcher knife, and what not….Jesus stop looking at me like that!"

"Butch…? Really?! She's so frail and small and innocent and you've decided to call her Butch?"

"YES!"

"I love it."

"What?! Did you just hassle me for no reason?"

"Mhm."

"Why'd you do that?!"

"You're adorable when you try to verbally defend yourself. You really suck at words Elsa! But I love your word vomit."

Elsa held up her middle finger. Anna giggled as an icicle extended on top of it for emphasis.

Anna, smiling, said, "Butch is in the kitchen with Kristoff. He's singing to her as he cooks dinner."

"God his cooking tastes like shit. All he ever puts in there is carrots." Elsa said with a sour face.

"I know. But at least she feels safe with us. We all thought she'd only like you, by the way she clung to you at the Butcher Shop."

The word 'safe' always reminded Elsa of the secret room. She looked at Anna and held her hand out. Anna curiously stepped closer to Elsa, taking her hand. The blonde pulled her in for an embrace, one that was desperately needed.

Elsa could hear Anna take a deep breath in, inhaling the moment, and satisfying her need for physical contact.

Anna didn't know it, but Elsa needed more contact that what she may have thought. She always wanted to be somehow connected to Anna.

"The only person I feel safe with is you, Anna. If I could cling to you every second, I'd never taste fear. I'd never see the dark. I would only see the world in color, like you do."

Anna lay a gentle kiss upon Elsa's neck. She knew that tonight Elsa was in need of some serious TLC.

"Come on Elsa, let's head to the kitchen. Maybe later I can show you what's on the dessert menu?"


	4. Tough

"And _that _is how it's done little lady."

With a low swept bow Kristoff thanked his audience of two and set his knives down.

"C'mon, it's so much harder than it looks! Juggling knives ain't easy little girl. I almost lost my hand once."

She smiled as she stroked Sven's fur. She was still so timid. But at least the eye contact meant progress, right?

At the sound of footsteps she raised her head, eyes digging through the darkness of the hallway. She could make out a small glowing lantern in the darkness, and the familiar sound of boots scuffing wooden floors.

Elsa's voice was heard first. Kristoff noticed the little girl begin to relax her shoulders as her hand fell from Sven's side. She seemed a little bit more peaceful compared to normal.

"You must really feel safe with Elsa, don't you?" he asked gently. He didn't expect much of a reply, but he was more so happy that she was at ease now.

Her eyes never left the hallway until Elsa and Anna walked into the kitchen. Their arms were linked and smiles glowed on their faces. Instantly she jumped up from her chair and flung herself into Elsa, knocking the two older girls back.

"Oh, goodness!" Anna said as she stumbled backwards. "Aaalllrighty then I think I'll just…I'll be over here." Anna mumbled as she gave them some space. She leaned against the countertop next to Kristoff, appreciating the tender scene before her.

"Hey there Sleepy." Elsa said as she smiled down at the girl. She stroked her hair and set the lantern down on a table next to her. The little girl's eyes looked up at her, and Elsa noticed for the first time how beautiful her green eyes were. In the light, they glowed with a different sheen. They didn't seem so sad and lost like they did in the Butcher Shop.

"You know, we've found you a new name, since you won't tell us what it is. I think it suits you very well."

"Is it Mute? Hush Puppy? The Queen of Quiet?" Kristoff teased.

"I will hurt you." Anna growled as she eyed the knives in front of him.

"Haha, no Kristoff. Actually, it's Butch." Elsa said as she picked the girl up. "Butch."

"Elsa came up with it." Anna blurted. "She figured it suited you. You're very tough you know? Being able to defend yourself in the Butcher Shop for so long, and well, you were carrying that Butcher's knife so….well….Butch." Anna explained.

"Exactly. You're one tough little motherfucker Butch." Elsa said. The group laughed until suddenly an unfamiliar voice floated through their laughter.

Anna looked at Butch, and then all eyes averted to the girl in Elsa's arms.

"I like it." She said again in a raspy whisper.

The entire kitchen was frozen.

The smile on Elsa's face fell with disbelief. No one was breathing, no one was moving. All motion had stopped. Even Sven was holding his breath with his attention to Butch. This was the first thing Butch had said since they've found her.

"Y-You do?" asked Elsa, surprised.

Butch nodded her head with approval.

"It sounds… tough." She said. "Like my Pa. He was real tough."

The trio still didn't know how to respond. No words would come out, no conversation. This moment seemed like the accomplishment they all knew would come with time. But here it was. She was talking to them. Butch was **talking**.

"Well he'd sure be damn proud of you Butch." Anna said. "We know it."

Butch tightened her arms around Elsa a little tighter, and Anna came up to hug them both. Sven took up the rear to wrap himself around the girls, and Kristoff, with a shrug, decided to join in the hug-fest as well.

"Are we a family?" Butch asked. But there was silence for a moment after she asked. It was a word they all hadn't used in a very long time. A phrase forgotten.

With tears welling in their eyes, and embraces growing tighter, Elsa let out a crippled, "Absolutely."

Elsa knew this had changed everything.

In Elsa's mind she thought that maybe this was something they all needed. It was obvious that they all needed each other for protection. There is power in numbers. But maybe that was the one thing they were forgetting. To be a family. Not just a group, a team, or a pack of survivors. But a family. They needed love to keep them strong, to keep them alive.

"Yoo-Hoo!" a cheery voice called out.

"Oaken! Get your Yoo-Hooing ass over here! We're having a moment!" Kristoff yelled.

And with surprising speed Oaken was there in seconds, lifting the whole group up with a sway and a wiggle.

"A moment ya?" he asked.

"Ya." Kristoff replied snarkily.

"I don't vish to interrupt my Queen, but there is some commotion ootside the palace valls. Do you vish to accompany me?"

"Sure big guy, I'll come with you." Elsa said. And at that moment, everyone's arms began to release and bodies began to disperse. But Butch held on tightly to Elsa, making sure she was the last one to let go.

"Butch, would you like to see something very special to me?" Anna asked.

Butch acknowledged the fact that Anna spoke to her with eye contact, but her real concern was what was going on outside castle walls, and why Elsa had to go. She looked back at Anna and nodded her head. As Anna began to walk down the halls, she was surprised to find Butch's little fingers latch onto hers. It brought a comforting smile to Anna's face. She knew what it was like to feel the physical aspect of comfort. It's a sense of protection like no other. It's what she did to Elsa when she felt scared. She held onto Butch tightly, and led her down the hall.

"Yeah well me and Sven are just gonna hang out here! Thanks for the invite though. It's cool." Kristoff hollered.

No one responded.

"This is why I love you Buddy. You'd never leave me." He said to Sven, tossing him a half-bitten carrot.

* * *

"They've been clawing at the gates since we've come home my Queen. Vis the girl in the castle, shall ve make arrangements to attack?"

"We're going to have to. If we don't take them out now, they'll attract more attention. We can't afford to have more Rotters shaking up the gates, they get surprisingly strong when they're in herds. Do you think we should take them on tonight?" Elsa replied as she fiddled with her shard.

"I doon't know ma Queen. The more commotion ve make tonight, the more they'll flock to the gates. Shall ve vait till moorning?" Oaken asked as he stroked his mustache.

"I think that's a good idea. I think we should really focus on Butch for the night. Don't you think?" Elsa asked as she patted Oaken on the shoulder.

"Ya. I doo. Is this vhat you name her?"

"Yep. She likes it. Says it makes her feel tough. Like her Dad."

Elsa's eyes drifted back to the Rotters at the gate. Their reanimated bodies bumping into one another, clawing at the gates with their helpless moans… it made her think about Butch's parents. How did they die? She hoped Butch wasn't there to watch it happen. And she wondered what it must be like to see them the way they were. She thought about her parents, the King and Queen. It broke Elsa. It made her feel so dangerous without them around. But imagine what it must have felt to see your parents look you in the eyes again, but with emptiness only staring back at you; eyes that once protected and smiled at you, eyes that loved and cried for you. Just gray and empty. It must have been terrifying for her.

Oaken's heavy hand landed on Elsa's shoulder. "Yoo-Hoo? She's safe here yanno?" His eye was full of understanding. And his half smile was enough to bring Elsa back from where her mind was dragging her.

"I hope so." She replied.

"I really hope so..."

* * *

"Are you ready?! Born ready?! Cuz I don't think you're ready for this little lady!" Anna bounced with excitement.

A tiny smile and a confirmation nod of Butch's head was just enough for Anna.

"Okay close your eyes!" she said. But without realizing what she'd asked, the little girl gave her a confused and frightened look.

"Oh, right. Well it's okay. You don't have to close your eyes. That's scary. I know I'm a stranger and all, but you can relax here. We're gonna keep you safe. Can you turn around instead?" Anna started awkwardly playing with the rubber soles of her boots and ran her hand behind her ear.

Thankfully Butch didn't mind, and she spun around and waited.

"Okay listen, this place is _extremelyyyyy_ special to Elsa and I. But I think it's time for us to share it with someone else."

Anna put her hand on the knob of the door, and began to open it. Hardly a crack of the door sent the colors spewing all around Butch's feet. Fully swung and the colors literally burst into the hallway. They swirled and twinkled around her ankles, and casted her shadow across the wall in front of her, framing her shadow with colors.

Butch froze in her place.

In awe she eyed the colors twinkling on the wall. Her fingers curled slightly, playing with her shadow on the wall before her.

She seemed glued to where she was, almost unable to comprehend that all of this light was right behind her. All of that wonderful grace and colorful magnitude was shining behind her. But she stood there and played with her shadow. She moved her fingers this way and that and lifted her arm. But then she stopped. And she just stood.

Anna, confused, wondered why she stopped playing. She slowly entered her shadow into the door way and with the shadow of her hand she reached out for Butch's. She wanted Butch to know that they would do this together. She wasn't alone.

Butch understood. Her shadow's fingers reached out for Anna's, and then she began to turn around.

The look on her face was priceless. Anna had never seen her eyes shine so bright. She looked like the way she did when Elsa was around. She didn't seem so scared and small. She seemed bigger, and stronger. She walked towards all the colors, and as Anna watched it seemed like she was consumed, blending into the light and letting it bleed into her. For a moment, Butch was gone. There was only light.

Anna followed after her.

* * *

"Where'd Anna and Butch go?" Elsa asked.

"Dunno, I just saw them walk down the hallway. Anna said something about something and then I zoned out and kept cooking."

Kristoff was wearing his cooking apron, and held a wooden spoon to his mouth to taste the broth in the pot in front of him.

"Hmmm, I feel like it's missing something. Elsa can you-"

"No. Your cooking always tastes like shit and lacks salt. Seriously, why do we let you cook? You probably had Stone Stew your entire life." Elsa drilled. She hopped up on the counter and swung her feet as she leaned back.

"Well I don't see _you_ taking up the opportunity _MY LEIGE._" Kristoff bowed and swirled his wooden spoon in circles.

To the side, Sven huffed and nudged Kristoff in the rear.

"Vould you like _me_ to cook?!" Oaken suggested excitedly. "I can cook many good things!"

"PASS." They said in unison. They'd had Oaken's pickled fish before. And let's just say they should have stayed in the jar.

"Vhat do you mean vis this '_pass'_?" He said with a huff.

As Kristoff's mouth opened for a reply, he was cut off by a blood-curdling scream that echoed in the castle.

Alert, the group readied themselves for action, grabbing their weapons, throwing off aprons, and scrambling through the kitchen to get into the hall. With ferocious speed Elsa's momentum threw her into the wall as she sped to find the source of the cry. Running with more purpose than ever she bounded off of furniture, cleared her own path, and clawed at any direction that would help her reach the source of the scream faster. _Where did the scream come from?_

Oaken and Kristoff bringing up the rear were armed and ready. But Elsa was almost out of sight.

"Think Kristoff! _THINK_!" she hollered from ahead as they attempted to catch up.

"_I-I-I…. I don't remember! _Something…._something about it being special_? Something was special to Anna that she wanted to show Butch!"

"FUCK! _This way!"_ Elsa turned sharply around a corner and then back up a different direction. Oaken and Kristoff could hardly keep up.

"_Anna! Butch!"_ Elsa wailed, slipping on rugs and stabbing icicles in the walls for leverage.

Behind a tapestry was an old wooden door that led to the staircase of Elsa and Anna's room of lights. Elsa ran so furiously that flecks of frost came flying off of her, like an ice storm contained.

"_Anna! Talk to me! What's happening up there?"_

"Elsa go, we'll catch up!" Kristoff said with Oaken bringing up the rear.

Elsa could see the light at the top of the stairs, she was so close.

"Anna! Bu-"

A swift crack came from the room, followed by a heavy thud upon the landing. Elsa couldn't see. But the sound stopped her in her tracks.

Iced nails clawed at the railing as she ran up the stairs, looking for anything that would give her more traction. Anything that would get her there faster. It seemed flights away. '_No, no, no, no, no'_ was playing over and over again in her head and when she reached the top of the stairs… she saw it.

She saw.

The body was limp. Lifeless. Completely motionless and despite all the color that came from the stained window panes….it lay completely colorless; grey, except for the dark crimson blood that pooled beneath it.

It wasn't moving.

"No…" slipped from Elsa's lips. **"**_**No!"**_ She fell to her knees.

"Elsa…"

Elsa's hands were shaking. The sound of her name rang in her ears. Her fingers were sharp with ice and her skin frosted over. Her iris' swarm with shards of ice and a darker storm brewed within.

"I was right there…."Elsa whispered beneath her breath.

"Elsa, Butch-"

"Where is she?" she asked herself, eyes glued to the blood that flowed from the shattered face of the body before them.

"Safe. She…..she saved me Elsa."

Elsa's eyes shot up. The storm in her eyes ceased. Elsa thought she was imagining Anna's voice, she thought Anna was the bloody, cracked, melon on the floor but when she looked up, the redhead was standing in the room before her.

Elsa blinked with confusion and relief. She found the strength to stand and she edged closer to the door. Kristoff and Oaken finally reaching the top of the steps took in the scene before them.

Gasps came from them.

Stepping into the room Elsa took Anna in her arms and held her in a close embrace. Anna whispered words of reassurance, but it all sounded like an empty forest, with fog clouding her mind. She thought she had just lost the only person that kept her sane. She stood back, holding Anna at arm's length to study Anna. She was disheveled and a little messy. Specks of blood stood out against her lighter freckles, but Elsa was relieved that they weren't hers. But Anna looked to her side, leading Elsa's eyes to the true matter of the situation. Butch stood near the stained glass door, taking small steps backwards. She was in shock. In her frail hands Butch clenched a gothic candle holder looking nowhere but at the weapon in her hands. Her knuckles locked tight and were drenched in the same crimson that painted the floor in the hall. It was all over her.

"Butch…." Elsa snapped back. "Are you alright?" she asked.

She let her hands fall from Anna's arms to take steps towards the girl.

Butch looked at the candle holder, and back up at Elsa. There were trails of tears streaming down her face, streaking through the blood splatter on her cheeks.

"I had to. _He was gonna hurt her!"_ She said in manic defense, eyes darting in all directions to Elsa and back to her candle holder.

"He was gonna hurt us…" she quivered.

Elsa's defenses melted. Her skin drained the blue, and her hands were back again. She walked towards Butch, and calmly put her hands on top of hers. They were shaking like mad.

"Butch..." Anna walked up from behind Elsa. "You saved me. If you hadn't done that, he would have hurt me. But _you_ saved me Butch. Thank you." Anna squatted down with Elsa, and reached forward and put her hand on Butch's cheek.

The girl looked up at Anna with tears ramming the freckled hand on her cheek. A feeling of solidity came back to her.

In the heat of the moment, Butch felt weightless. She swung that candle holder like how her Pa used to swing. It felt inexistent. She didn't even feel it go into the face of the Rotter, or shatter its skull. But the weight was coming back to her now. And her knees were beginning to give.

"I got you." Elsa whispered.

Her eyes were drifting shut. Exhausted emotionally and physically she laid limp in Elsa's arms.

"I can't imagine what a toll that must take out of a girl so small." Kristoff said behind them.

Elsa almost forgot that Kristoff and Oaken were behind her. They hadn't made a single sound since they've entered the room.

"I vill carry her to your chambers, ya?" Oaken proposed.

"No." Elsa said. "I'll carry her."

As Elsa stood up, the candle holder slipped from Butch's hands, clanging to the ground. It splattered the drops of blood on the wood floor beneath her.

Oaken turned towards the doorway, put his knife away, adjusted his eye patch, and then took the Rotter's body with a quick sweep into his arms. With the shirt of the Rotter, Oaken pulled it over to cover the bludgeoned head. Even in a situation like this, he was courteous.

Kristoff stood in awe, merely staring at the candle holder.

Elsa looked to Anna with Butch cradled in her arms.

"Anna, what the hell happened here?" she asked.

"Let's just get her cleaned up for bed. I'll tell you in the room." She replied.

The girls walked down after Oaken and behind them, Kristoff with the candle holder.

"That is one tough little girl." He said.

"She's my fucking hero."

* * *

It's been quite a while since I've been able to update, and for that I am truly sorry my friends! I hope this makes up for the time I've been away. But thankfully it's summer, and now I'll be able to update more frequently! WOO! WARNING: next chapter's gonna get interesting. ;)

Yours,

-DG


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